MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains are forecast to continue in the next few days due to the southwest monsoon, even as Typhoon Hanna (international name Haikui) could exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by tomorrow, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
Typhoon Hanna was monitored at 375 kms east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes and was moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour, carrying maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
Hanna will make landfall over the east coast of southern Taiwan today and may exit PAR tomorrow morning.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over Batanes while enhanced monsoon rains were experienced over Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro.
PAGASA said that 100-200 mm of rainfall is forecast over Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro today.
Meanwhile, around 50-100 mm of rain is expected today over Metro Manila, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas.
The southwest monsoon may bring scattered rainshowers over Antique, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Luzon, CALABARZON and MIMAROPA.
The rest of the country may see isolated rainshowers due to the monsoon and localized thunderstorms until tomorrow.
Casualties, damages
In its latest situational report, the National Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 408,053 persons or 112,384 families in eight regions, 28 provinces, 180 cities and municipalities and 1,445 barangays were affected by the weather disturbances brought about by typhoons Goring and Hanna and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
Two casualties were reported by the NDRRMC, with one confirmed while the other is still subject for validation.
The report also said that 3,559 persons from the Ilocos Region, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Western Visayas were preemptively evacuated as of 8 a.m. of yesterday.
The NDRRMC said that 22,000 individuals or more than 5,000 families are staying temporarily in 277 evacuation centers in the CAR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Western Visayas. —Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas, Rudy Santos
